Flexible metallic closure



o. w. HovEY FLXIBLE METALLIC CLOSURE May 2s, 193s.

Filed oct. 12 193:5

R vb mw ma H .u O

ATTORNEY.

Patented lMay 26, 1936 PATE-NT OFFICE FLEXIBLE METALLIC CLOSURE Otis W. Hovey, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Co., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation oi.' Pennsylvania Application October l2, 1933, Serial No. 693,230

' 10 Claims. (Cl. 189,-56)

The invention relates in general to door and window closures and more particularly to a flexible metal closure. Y

The main object of the invention is to provide a light. strong, weather proof closure oi the kabove type particularly adapted for use in deck houses of ships to protect large windows against the action of wind and waves during heavy storms and for use as a garage or warehouse door or any piace'where a light, strong weather-tight closure resistant to moisture and heat, andcapable of easy andquick manipulation is required.

A further object is the provision ol a device of the above type adaptable to fabrication from iight gauge stainlesssteel by spot welding, and having extreme simplicity of structure together with a high degree of strength for a given weight of material.

- Briefly, these objects are accomplishedby the provision-of a main closure portion comprised of a thin exible sheet or web 4member of high tensile stainless steel reinforced to a high degree against lateral pressure with a minimum addition of material, by channel section beams of the same material extending across the web member' to within a given marginal distance of the side edges thereof and secured thereto by spot welding, they channels being closed bythe web so that each channel-section beam in combination with that portion of the web which it covers, forms a boxsection beam with only the added material of a weather-tig t closure is obtained by the provi# sion of complementary smooth, stationary iianges arranged to overlap the free iiexible side margins of the web left uncovered at the ends of the beams.

The invention ywill be more thoroughly understood with the aidI of the following description given in connection with the accompanying drawing, the novel features being particularly set forth in the claims.

In the., drawing: 3

Fig. 1 is a side viewpartly in section showing the invention applied to the protection of a` glazed window opening. v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l..

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailview vin vertical section through one of the beams and adjacent portion of the web member, as on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

mg. 4 is a view similar to Fig. s, showing 'the' locationofaseminthe Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic viewshowing'the invention used as a garage door.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modiilcation.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the shutter 5 structure comprises a web member I of thin flexible sheetl metal preferably high tensile stainless steelLof substantially the width of the openingr to be protected, reinforced at intervals by ilanged channel-section beams 2 of the same material, secured to the web! by spot welds 3 between the anges 4 and the web l. Each channel-section beam 2 and that portion of the web l to which it is secured thus mutually reinforce each other by combining to form a closed box section beam. The beams 2 are preferably secured'tothe web in pairs on opposite faces of the web with the anges in register, permitting one set of spot welds to be used for both beams. With this arrangement the pair of channel beams form with the web' a double box-section beam with the web passing through the center 'and forming the central or intermediate wall of the double beam.

'Ihe reinforcing beams 2 extend across the web member to Within a short distance of each side 25 edge and are spaced apart in parallel relation? a leaving free bending strips 5 of the web between the beams, which strips act as flexible `hinge connections permitting the shutter structure to be wound upon a cylindrical roller 6 mounted above 30 the window l. The sheet or web member I has such elastic properties, and is of such gauge that it .can be wound around the roller 6 without exceeding the elastic limit of the material of the' web so that when released it will spring back to its normal at sheet form.

To enable the shutter to be slid up and down in front of the Window opening and securely held in place against pressure from without or within, a stationary guide channel 8 formed of angle 40 beams 9 is provided at each side of the window to .receive-theside edges of the shutter including the ends of the beams 2, and the free'fiexible side margins I 0 of the web I left uncovered by the beams. the side edges of the'shutter and the sides II of the window Opening is obtained through the provision off'a weathertight sealformed by a pair of angle-section spring .strips I2 of high tensile stainless steel or the like, mounted within each guide 50 channel 8 and arranged to overlap and bear lightly against the side margin I0 of theweb member I. This weather seal may be given any degree of tightness by varying the set of the spring strips I2 to vary the pressure againstthe margin 55 I0. This weather seal is of special importance where-the device is used as a storm shutter on a ship's deck window as shown in Fig. 1.

The flexible shutter thus constructed may' be readily repaired without marring itsappearance 00 A weather-tight connection between I or detracting from its iiexibility, bycutting out any damaged portion clear across the web and inserting a new section, joining the portions by seams I3 so placed as to be covered by a beam as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.l This feature makes it possible to fabricate the web member I from several pieces of relatively narrow strip material .garage door. With either use, theshutter may be counterbalanced in any known or other suitable manner. Where a simpler and lighter structure is desired, the channel beams 2 may be used singly and placed all on the same side of -the web as shown in Fig. 6, Without losing the advantage of the box section structure which makes for lightness with strength. It will be obvious that the beams 2 may be used singly and on both faces of the web by positioning them one above the -other on alternate sides suiiiciently vertically spaced to leave an intervening strip of the web member to form a exible hinge likethe strips 5 of Figs.. 1 and 6.

It is to be noted that especially in the case 0i' V the double beam, that portion of the web member enclosed between the beam flanges acts to prevent `the flanges spreading apart,l and by thus holding the channel sections in their most advantageous vposition to resist bending stress, the sheet contributes to the strength of the beam. even though it is placed at the neutral axis.

While I have herein shown and described certain speciiic embodiments of the invention for the r purpose oi. disclosure, it is to be understood that' the invention is not limited to such embodiments but'contemplatesall such modifications and variants thereof as fall fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A flexible closure comprising a web of flexible sheet metal, and a plurality of metal reinforcing beams extending across the web andspot welded thereto in spaced relation to each other to leave a freely flexible portionof the web of substantial width between adjacent beams.

2. A flexible closure comprising a web of flexible sheet metal, and a plurality of metal reinforcing beams extending across the web and spot welded thereto in spaced relation to each other' to leave a freely flexible portion of the web between adjacent beams, said web extending on each side beyond the lends of the reinforcing beamsjto form a continuous ange one at each side -of the shutter. and weather sealing strips arranged in overlappingrelation with said iianges. 3. A iiexible closure comprising a flexible sheet metal web member and a plurality of sheet metal ribs of channel section secured through edge flanges thereon to the web member to form therewith ribs of box section, said ribs being spaced apart on the web parallel to each other leaving strips of the exible `web member of ,substantial widthhbetween the ribs .to form flexible hinge joints. f

4: A exibleclosure comprising a web member of sheet metal, and. a plurality of box section web member being formed in sections joined by a seam lying in that portion or the web which forms a portion of a beam. y

5. A -exible closure comprising a web of flexible sheet metal, and a plurality of channel beams joined to the web with the channels closed by the web and forming beams of closed box section, said beams being spaced apart in parallelism leaving exiblehinge strips of the web material between the beams, and stationary, guides for the side edges of the shutterarranged to engage the ends of the beams.

,6. A exible closure comprising a web of flexible sheet metal, and a plurality of channel beams joined to the web with the channels closed by the web and forming beams of closed box section, said beams being spaced" apart in parallelism leaving ilexible hinge strips of the web material betweenv the beams, stationary guides for the side edges of the shutter arranged toengage the ends of the beams, said web extending beyond theends of the beams along each side of the shutter, and a stationary Weather seal member arranged to overlap the said web extensions.

7. A exible closure comprising a web of lexible sheet metal, and a plurality of channel beamsv joined to the web with' the channels closed by the web-and forming beams of closed box section, said beams being'spaced apart in parallelism leaving flexible hinge strips of the web material between the beams, said web extending beyond th'e ends of the beams at the sides of the shutter, stationary guides arranged to receive the side edges of the shutter including the end portions of the beams, and a pair of stationary weather seal strips arranged to overlap a portion of the said web extensions. g

leaving exible hinge strips of the web material between the beams, and said web being formed of sections joined by a seam covered by one oi'. said beams. 9. A flexible closure comprising a iiexible web of thin gauge high tensile stainless steel reinforced by anged channel beams of like material secured to the web by spot welding the flanges to the web, said'beamsl being arranged in parallelism and spaced apart laterally to leave a free bending portion of the web of substantial width y between the beams.

10. A flexible closure comprising a flexible web of thin gauge high tensile stainless steel reinforced by flanged channel beams of like material secured to the web by spot welding the `flanges to the web, said beams being arranged in parallelism and spaced apart laterally to leave a free 

